Method and apparatus for handling articles in transit

ABSTRACT

A vehicle body is disclosed having a floor and a pair of upstanding support members spaced apart in the direction of travel of the vehicle. Bands of strapping material are extended longitudinally in the body and have their opposite ends secured to the upstanding support members at points spaced above the floor, so that intermediate portions of the bands rest on the floor and their end portions slope upwardly toward the support members. A unitized load is placed on the intermediate portions of the bands and is spaced from the support members by the sloping band end portions, whereby upon impact the load may ride up the strap members to absorb impact energy.

United States Patent Swanson [54] METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR HANDLINGARTICLES IN TRANSIT [63] Continuation-in-part of Ser. No. 579,712, Sept.15,

1966, abandoned.

[52] U.S. Cl ..105/369 A, 105/366 R, IDS/392.5 [51] Int. Cl. ...B6ld45/00, 860p 7/16, B65j 1/24 [58] Field of Search 105/366 R, 367, 368 R,369 A, 105/369 B, 369 U, 374, 392.5, 454; 206/46 F, 65;

280/179, 179 A; 248/119 A, 361 A, 358 A [56] References Cited UNITEDSTATES PATENTS 51 May 30, 1972 Primary ExaminerDrayton E. HoffmanAttorney-Merchant & Gould [5 7] ABSTRACT A vehicle body is disclosedhaving a floor and a pair of upstanding support members spaced apart inthe direction of travel of the vehicle. Bands of strapping material areextended longitudinally in the body and have their opposite ends securedto the upstanding support members at points spaced above the floor, sothat intermediate portions of the bands rest on the floor and their endportions slope upwardly toward the support members. A unitized load isplaced on the intermediate portions of the bands and is spaced from thesupport members by the sloping band end portions, whereby upon im-569,094 10/1896 Dunlop 105/454 pact the load may ride up the strapmembers to absorb impact 986,810 3/1911 Dixey ...105/376 energy1,499,229 6/1924 Laffey ...105/369 B 1,570,020 1/ 1926 Welsh ..l05/369 B9 Claims, 12 Drawing Figures IIII/IIIIIIIIII IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII III Z0 16 Patented 3 Sheets-Sheet l LL11] 1 ILL/[[IJII I IIIIII/IIIIIIIII IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII M Ma RS E Z N mu m M W .IM 5

Patented May 30, 1972 3,665,866

3 Sheets-Sheet 2 EEQQEIEEIEwm a g F a IE] 51; w f7//////////////////////// I NVEN TOR. My: L. Sum/$0M T (Mwma PatentedMay 30, 1972 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 65 J INVENTOR. Mym" L. Yum/s0 c fiat 14,6ATTORNEY J METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR HANDLING ARTICLES IN TRANSIT Thisapplication is a continuation-in-part of US. patent application Ser. No.579,712, filed Sept. 15, 1966, now abandoned.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The presentinvention relates in general to apparatus for and method of handlingarticles in transit and more particularly has for its primary purposethe provision of apparatus for use in railway cars to eliminate damageto articles during transit. An object of the invention is the provisionof apparatus that permits the use of the principle of a floating load.

' 2. Description of the Prior Art The transportation industry has longbeen plagued with load damage caused by shocks transmitted to the loadby the vehicle. Loads carried by railroad freight cars are especiallysusceptible to damage because of the severe shocks that occur when thecar stops or starts, especially during yard switching. It is well knownin the industry that maximum damage will occur if the load is fixed withrespect to the vehicle so that the full shock of impact is transmitteddirectly to the load. Therefore, many different devices and procedureshave been developed over the years to permit relative movement betweenthe load and the vehicle when shocks occur.

One broad approach to solving this problem has been to mount the load ona separate carriage which is then mounted on the floor of the vehicle.The carriage is provided with wheels or rollers so that it is movablewith respect to the floor of the vehicle. To control the amount ofrelative movement between the carriage and the vehicle, some form ofshock absorbing means are provided. In its simplest form, the shockabsorbing means can be a spring thatnot only absorbs shocks but alsotends to return the carriage to its original position afier the shockhas dissipated. In other cases, oppositely inclined ramp tracks havebeen used to dampen the movement of the carriage with respect to thevehicle. The Trumper et al. US. Pat. No. 3,273,516 that issued Sept. 20,1966 discloses a shock absorbing assembly for vehicles in whichlongitudinal shocks are transmitted between a shock receiving frame anda load carrying frame by longitudinal shock absorbing assembliesincluding roller means and brake means, and preferably return springmeans producing a uniform return spring force. The approach taken byTrumper et al. to solve this problem, and similar approaches taken byothers before him, has not proven to be commercially acceptable.Constructing or modifying a vehicle in this manner is simply tooexpensive and complicated to permit any wide application of the concept.

Another approach to reducing load damage is the shifting load orfloating load" method of transporting merchandise. In this approach, aunitary load is permitted to shift freely on the floor of the vehicleexcept for the retarding effect of inertia and friction between thevehicle floor and the load. This method has proven to be highlyeffective in reducing load damage so long as sufficient space in thevehicle is provided over which the shifting can occur. With thisapproach, the shifting is cumulative because no means are provided toreturn the load to its original position. Because of this problem, theload in a boxcar, over a long trip, will often shift until it comes torest against the end wall of the boxcar. At that point, no furthershifting is possible and all shocks are transmitted directly to theload. Various attempts have been made to reduce the amount of shiftingthat occurs with a floating load, as for example by using brakingdevices between the load and the floor. One approach to braking orcontrolling this movement is shown in the Scales US. Pat. No. 1,920,917that issued Aug. 1933. It is still true, however, with all variations ofthe floating load, that the movements are cumulative. If sufficientspace is not provided, the load will eventually come to rest in a fixedposition with respect to the vehicle so that all shocks are transmitteddirectly to it.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention uses as its startingpoint the sliding or floating load method. Two or more bands ofstrapping material are extended along the floor of the vehicle in thedirection of expected impact. The unitized load is placed onintermediate portions of the bands. The opposite ends of the bands aresecured to the end walls of the car or to other upstanding supportmembers in a plane above the plane of the floor. The end portions of thebands thus slope upwardly from the floor toward the point of connectionto the end wall. The load thus rests directly on the floor with thestrapping material being positioned between the floor and the load. Uponimpact, the load is permitted to move with respect to the floor as isnormal in a floating load situation. Therefore, a portion of the energyof impact is dissipated by inertia and friction between the floatingload and the floor of the car. Very soon after impact, however, the loadbegins to slide upwardly on the sloping band end portions. The remainingenergy of impact is stored in the load by sliding upwardly on thesloping bands. This remaining energy, which was exerted in a horizontalplane, is converted to stored energy in the load, which energy tends toact in a vertically downward direction to aid in restoring the load toits original position. This energy stored in the load therefore providesa restoring force that, once the impact energy is dissipated, forces theload to slide back down the sloping band portions until the storedenergy is dissipated by frictional engagement with the floor. Because ofthe arrangement of the bands or straps, the angle between the load andthe strapping passes through the entire spectrum from the angle beforethe impact to With this invention, the load will never come in contactwith the end walls and, the shifting of the load is not cumulative.Therefore, larger loads can be placed on a given length of floor and noconcern need be given to the length of the trip or the type of terrainthrough which the vehicle is traveling. Applicant's apparatus and methodcan be applied to almost any vehicle that can utilize the floating loadmethod. The needed equipment is easy to install and the car in which theapparatus is installed can be quickly restored to normal use by merelyremoving the bands or straps. The present invention thus provides asimple and very effective means of reducing shock damage to loads duringtransit.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a side view in section of arailway car showing the invention applied thereto;

FIG. 2 is a view similar to FIG. I in which the load is in two P FIG. 3is an enlarged side view of one means of securing strappings to thefreight car endwalls;

FIG. 4 is another side view of a railway car, portions thereof beingbroken away, showing the invention applied thereto;

FIG. 5 is an enlarged sectional view taken along line 5-5 of FIG. 4,showing the end wall of the railway car including a plurality ofU-shaped strap securing means mounted therein;

FIG. 6 is an enlarged fragmentary view in horizontal section taken alongline 6-6 of FIG. 5, showing in more detail a pair of the generallyU-shaped securing means mounted in the end wall;

FIG. 7 is a greatly enlarged side view in vertical, longitudinal sectionof one end portion of the railroad car of FIG. 4, portions thereof beingbroken away, showing the normal position of the load in full lines and aposition assumed by the load after impact in phantom;

FIG. 8 is a side view of a railroad flat car, showing the inventionapplied thereto;

FIG. 9 is a vertical sectional view taken along line 9-9of FIG. 8,greatly enlarged, showing an upstanding support member and means forsecuring the bands passing thereover;

FIG. 10 is a view in top plan of the structure shown in FIG.

FIG. 11 is an end view of a support member of the type shown in FIG. 8in the folded position, the upstanding position thereof being shown inphantom, portions thereof being broken away and shown in section; and

FIG. 12 is a view in top plan of the railroad flat car of FIG. 8, withthe load and bands removed, and with a plurality of support memberslying in the folded position.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS FIGS. 1-3

The novel features of the invention will appear more fully hereinafterfrom the following detail description when taken in conjunction with theaccompanying drawings. It is expressly understood that the drawings areemployed for the purpose of illustration only and are not designed as adefinition of the limits of the invention, reference being had for thispurpose to the appended claims.

In loading freight cars according to this invention the article orarticles are not secured directly to the car and are permitted to floatback and forth on the car floor, thereby dissipated the energy releasedwhen the car receives an impact. The impacts occur generally when thecar is being coupled into a string of freight cars or when the car ishit by a string of freight cars.

It is important when employing the floating load principle to get theload to absorb, on impact, the energy of the impact without touching anend wall of the car and thereafter to return substantially to itsoriginal position.

Referring to the drawings, detail indicates a railway boxcar but it isto be understood that the invention can be used with other types ofcars, for example flat car with bulkheads, gondola, etc. The freight carconsists of suitable running gear 12 and provided with floor 14, endwalls 16, and coupling members 18.

Secured to the end walls of the car 10 are securing means for strapmembers of banding-like material. The securing means may be of anysuitable type. The securing means may be U" bolt type 28 arrangement.Steel banding or equivalent material is employed. The banding extendsthe length of the car, passing under the load and secured to the endwalls of the car. The banding material is secured to the end walls apredetermined distance above the floor, by way of example 18 inches. Twoor more steel bands are employed in this manner. The banding 22 variesin size depending on the weight of the load 20. If U" shaped bolts areused in connection with banding 22 they are arranged parallel to thefloor 14. When the load 20 tries to move in either direction, the loadrides up on the bands 22 thus changing the horizontal movement to avertical movement. This movement dissipates the energy of the impact.

Guide banding or straps 30 are used to keep the load 20 from moving tothe side walls of the car 10. If U-shaped bolts are used they arearranged in a vertical plane with reference to the car floor 14. Theguide banding 30 is preferably secured to the end walls above the pointwhere banding 22 is secured to the wall 16.

In the end of the car 10 may be removably secured band securing devices24 with a band receiving opening 26.

When the load is divided as shown in FIG. 2, a band support member 38 isremovably secured to the car floor 14, the support being provided withtop member 40 which has the edges 42 turned downwardly as above. In thedivided load the banding straps 22 are secured to the end walls 16, passunder the load 32 over the band support 38, under the load 34 and aresecured to the other end wall. The band support 38 is located in thespace 36 between the unitized loads 32 and 34.

The articles to be shipped may be palatized or packaged in a normalmanner. The securing means are placed in the railway car, the steelbanding 22 being secured to the securing means at one end, laid on thefloor l4 and extending the length of the car. The load is then put inthe car 10, resting on the steel banding 22, the other end of thebanding is then secured to the securing means. The guide bandings 30 aresecured to the U- shaped bolts 28 or other securing means employed.

FIGS. 442

FIG. 4 discloses another railway boxcar 50 having suitable running gear51, a floor 52 and a pair of opposite end walls 53.

' A unitized floating load 55 is carried within car 50 directly Each ofthe end walls 53 is provided with two, horizontally extending, spacedrows of generally U-shaped securing devices 57. The end wall 53 normallycomprises a plurality of vertically extending wooden planks 53a to theoutside of which is attached a corrugated metal sheet 53b. A suitablerecess 58 is provided in the plank wall 53a for each of the securingdevices 57. A horizontally extending metal or wood support bar 59 ispositioned in one of the corrugations in the metal panel 53b.Preferably, support bar 59 extends the full width of the car and isprovided with a plurality of openings or holes through which the arms ofthe U-shaped securing devices 57 extend. As best shown in FIGS. 6 and 7,nuts are threadedly secured to the ends of the arms to hold the securingdevices 57 in position.

At least two bands 60 of strapping material extend between the ends 53of the car with intermediate portions thereof positioned between load 55and floor 52. Each end of each band 60 is formed into a loop 60a byfolding the end of the band back against the band itself and securingthe loop with a suitable clamping device 61. In this embodiment, beforethe loop 60a is formed, the end of the band 60 is inserted through oneof the securing devices 57, and then is folded back and clamped as shownin FIGS. 6 and 7. The end portions of each band 60 thus slope upwardlyfrom the plane of the floor at the end of the load toward a point on theend wall 53 located above the plane of the floor. As the weight of theload 55 increases, a larger number of bands 60 can be used to supportthe increased weight.

As shown in FIG. 5, it is preferable to provide more than one row ofsecuring devices 57 so that the band 60 can be made to slope at adifferent angle if that appears to be desirable. It appears that themost effective angle between the band and the floor or between the bandand the load is approximately 45. This angle can be adjusted if morethan one row of securing devices 57 are provided. The normal position ofload 55 is shown in full lines in FIG. 7. Upon impact of the vehicle,the load will move up the sloping band portion to a position such asthat shown in phantom. After the impact shock dissipates, load 55 willslide back down the bands 60 to nearly its normal full line position.This type of activity will repeatedly occur during a normal trip tothereby minimize shock damage to the load.

FIG. 8 discloses a railway flat car modified in accordance with myinvention. The flat car has a floor 65 and suitable running gear 66. Aunitized load 67 is supported on floor 65 between the ends of the car.As shown in FIG. 12, the floor 65 is provided with a plurality ofpivotable support members 68 located at spaced intervals between theends thereof. Each support member 68 is a rectangular wooden or metalmember that extends to almost the full width of the car. As shown inFIG. 11, a recess or well 69 is provided in the floor 65 for eachsupport member 68. A suitable hinge 70 is provided between one edge ofsupport member 68 and floor 65 so that support member 68 can be swunginto a folded position within recess 69 or into an upstanding positionfor use in supporting the bands of strapping material. Support member 68can be locked in the upstanding position by a suitable folding armmember 71. If all of the support members 68 are folded down' into theirassociated recesses 69, a flat, relatively smooth floor 65 is provided.This floor can be used in the normal manner.

In order to practice my invention, a pair of spaced support members 68are locked in the upstanding position. A plurality of bands 60 of strapmaterial are extended longitudinally along floor 65 with the endsthereof extending over the two spaced upstanding support members 68. Aplurality of U-shaped securing devices are provided, this time securedto the floor 65 within the recess 69. A row of these securing devices 75are provided opposite the support member 68 from the load 67. After thebands 60 are extended along the floor 65, the load 67 is placed on anintermediate portion of each and the ends of each band are insertedthrough a corresponding securing device 75, formed into a loop andclamped in that position. As shown on the drawings, the end portions ofthe bands 60 slope upwardly from the ends of the load, pass over the topof the upstanding support member 68 and are then secured to the securingdevices 75. The upstanding support members 68 in this embodiment of myinvention correspond to the end walls 53 of the previously describedembodiment. in both cases, sloping band end portions are provided upwhich the load can slide upon impact to dissipate the energy of impact.

Using the embodiment shown in FIGS. 8-12, loads of different lengths canbe accommodated by using different pairs of support members 68. Inaddition, two or more loads can be accommodated on the same flat car inmuch the same manner as shown in FIG. 2.

My invention is applicable to any vehicle that will accommodate a normalsliding or floating load. The drawings of the present application shownseveral different approaches to practicing my invention. The inventioncan also be used in semi-trailers, for example, especially where theyare mounted on flat cars for transportation by train. In such cases, thesemitrailer is fixedly attached to the flat car. The present inventionprovides a means of loading the semi-trailer so that impact shocks arenot directly transmitted to the load.

What is claimed is:

1. Impact shock reducing apparatus for a vehicle carrying a floatingload on the vehicle floor between and spaced from a pair of supportmembers, comprising:

a. at least two spaced flexible strap members extending generally in thedirection of expected shocks between said support members withintermediate portions thereof resting on the floor, said intermediateportions being positioned between the load and the floor; and

b. means for supporting the end portions of said strap members on saidsupport members at points spaced above the floor whereby upon impact theload may ride up the strap members to absorb impact energy.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said vehicle is a railroad car, andwherein said strap members are steel bands.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said support members are pivotallysecured to the vehicle floor and wherein means are provided to hold saidsupport members in an upstanding position and wherein open recesses areprovided in said vehicle floor into which said support members arefolded when not in use.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said strap members extend over saidsupport members and wherein means are provided to secure the ends ofsaid strap members to the floor opposite said support members from theload.

5. In a vehicle having a floor and a pair of upstanding support membersspaced apart in the direction of travel of the vehicle and carrying afloating load on and frictionally engaged with the floor between andspaced from said support members, means for reducing shock to the loadupon vehicle impact by permitting relative movement between the load andvehicle, and for preventing the load from contacting said supportmembers upon initial or repeated impacts, comprising a plurality ofspaced bands of flexible strapping material extending between saidupstanding support members with intermediate portions thereof under saidload, and means for securing the ends of said bands to said spacedsupport members at points spaced above the floor whereby upon impact ofthe vehicle the load may ride up the sloping band portions to absorbimpact energy.

6. The apparatus of claim 5 wherein the load consists of at least twounits which are spaced apart longitudinally on said intermediate bandportions, together with an upstanding support positioned on said floorbetween the spaced apart load units, portions of said bands between thespaced apart units being elevated and passing over said support.

7. The combination of an elongated vehicle body having a floor and apair of end walls, a unitized floating load on said floor between andout of contact with said end walls securin devices secured to the endwalls at points spaced above sai floor, and at least two bands offlexible strapping material extending longitudinally in the vehicle bodywith intermediate portions of said bands extending beneath said load,the ends of said bands being secured to said securing devices so thatthe secured end portions of the bands slope upwardly from the floortoward the end walls, with the load being spaced away from said endwalls by said sloping portions of the bands, whereby upon impact of thevehicle body the load may ride up the sloping band portions to absorbimpact energy without contact of the load with said end walls.

8. A method of loading a vehicle body having a floor and a pair ofsupport members spaced in the direction of travel of said vehicle, saidmethod comprising the steps of extending at least two strap membersbetween the support members with intermediate portions of said strapmembers resting on the floor, placing a load on said intermediateportions between and spaced from the support members, and supporting theends of said strap members on the support members at points spaced abovethe floor so that end portions of said strap members slope upwardly fromthe floor toward the support members, whereby upon impact of the vehiclebody the load may ride up said sloping end portions to absorb impactenergy without contacting the support members.

9. A method of loading a vehicle body having a floor, to reduce shock tothe load upon vehicle impact, comprising the steps of mounting a pair ofupstanding support members on said vehicle body at spaced apartpositions in line with the direction of expected impact, extending aplurality of elongated strapping means between said support members withintermediate portions thereof resting on the floor, placing a load onsaid intermediate portions between said spaced support members, andsecuring the ends of said strapping means to said support members atpoints spaced above the floor so that end portions of said strappingmeans are taut and slope upwardly from the floor at the end of the loadtoward said support members, whereby upon impact of the vehicle body theload may ride up the sloping end portions to absorb impact energy.

1. Impact shock reducing apparatus for a vehicle carrying a floatingload on the vehicle floor between and spaced from a pair of supportmembers, comprising: a. at least two spaced flexible strap membersextending generally in the direction of expected shocks between saidsupport members with intermediate poRtions thereof resting on the floor,said intermediate portions being positioned between the load and thefloor; and b. means for supporting the end portions of said strapmembers on said support members at points spaced above the floor wherebyupon impact the load may ride up the strap members to absorb impactenergy.
 2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said vehicle is a railroadcar, and wherein said strap members are steel bands.
 3. The apparatus ofclaim 1 wherein said support members are pivotally secured to thevehicle floor and wherein means are provided to hold said supportmembers in an upstanding position and wherein open recesses are providedin said vehicle floor into which said support members are folded whennot in use.
 4. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said strap membersextend over said support members and wherein means are provided tosecure the ends of said strap members to the floor opposite said supportmembers from the load.
 5. In a vehicle having a floor and a pair ofupstanding support members spaced apart in the direction of travel ofthe vehicle and carrying a floating load on and frictionally engagedwith the floor between and spaced from said support members, means forreducing shock to the load upon vehicle impact by permitting relativemovement between the load and vehicle, and for preventing the load fromcontacting said support members upon initial or repeated impacts,comprising a plurality of spaced bands of flexible strapping materialextending between said upstanding support members with intermediateportions thereof under said load, and means for securing the ends ofsaid bands to said spaced support members at points spaced above thefloor whereby upon impact of the vehicle the load may ride up thesloping band portions to absorb impact energy.
 6. The apparatus of claim5 wherein the load consists of at least two units which are spaced apartlongitudinally on said intermediate band portions, together with anupstanding support positioned on said floor between the spaced apartload units, portions of said bands between the spaced apart units beingelevated and passing over said support.
 7. The combination of anelongated vehicle body having a floor and a pair of end walls, aunitized floating load on said floor between and out of contact withsaid end walls, securing devices secured to the end walls at pointsspaced above said floor, and at least two bands of flexible strappingmaterial extending longitudinally in the vehicle body with intermediateportions of said bands extending beneath said load, the ends of saidbands being secured to said securing devices so that the secured endportions of the bands slope upwardly from the floor toward the endwalls, with the load being spaced away from said end walls by saidsloping portions of the bands, whereby upon impact of the vehicle bodythe load may ride up the sloping band portions to absorb impact energywithout contact of the load with said end walls.
 8. A method of loadinga vehicle body having a floor and a pair of support members spaced inthe direction of travel of said vehicle, said method comprising thesteps of extending at least two strap members between the supportmembers with intermediate portions of said strap members resting on thefloor, placing a load on said intermediate portions between and spacedfrom the support members, and supporting the ends of said strap memberson the support members at points spaced above the floor so that endportions of said strap members slope upwardly from the floor toward thesupport members, whereby upon impact of the vehicle body the load mayride up said sloping end portions to absorb impact energy withoutcontacting the support members.
 9. A method of loading a vehicle bodyhaving a floor, to reduce shock to the load upon vehicle impact,comprising the steps of mounting a pair of upstanding support members onsaid vehicle body at spaced apart positions in line with the directionof expected impact, extending a plurAlity of elongated strapping meansbetween said support members with intermediate portions thereof restingon the floor, placing a load on said intermediate portions between saidspaced support members, and securing the ends of said strapping means tosaid support members at points spaced above the floor so that endportions of said strapping means are taut and slope upwardly from thefloor at the end of the load toward said support members, whereby uponimpact of the vehicle body the load may ride up the sloping end portionsto absorb impact energy.